Gas Locked by Nat Grid - Any experience with this? (appliances, house)

[dewdrop74]

Anyone ever have National Grid lock their gas due to a leak?

We are looking for a plumber to come and fix it, but it's been tough on a Sunday. One guy said he'd have to pull permits from the town in order to work on it?

[twingles]

I had them disconnect a stove on me, but that was it. Our situation was little bizarre....we smelled gas and on the same day our dryer died. We called in for dryer repair and while we waited for that, LIPA came about the gas smell. Detected a leak at the meter, the dryer, said our stove was "carbonizing" AND said there was a problem with the boiler. DH was basically like WTF are you doing to our appliances??? LIPA guy disconnected our stove and red-tagged it.

The dryer guy comes and also fixed our stove (he had never heard the term carboninizing....but he did find something fixable). No big deal. I then call LIPA under the service plan to ask them to come service the boiler. It was the end of August, they said they'd come the end of October. Ummmm....no. You'll come now. Guy comes from the LIPA service plan and basically laughs and tells us the guy who came about the gas leak pulled apart some wiring whilst doing his "check". It was really odd how everything happened all at once....so they didn't lock our gas but he did disconnect the stove.

[Buckthedog]

Originally Posted by twingles

I had them disconnect a stove on me, but that was it. Our situation was little bizarre....we smelled gas and on the same day our dryer died. We called in for dryer repair and while we waited for that, LIPA came about the gas smell. Detected a leak at the meter, the dryer, said our stove was "carbonizing" AND said there was a problem with the boiler. DH was basically like WTF are you doing to our appliances??? LIPA guy disconnected our stove and red-tagged it.

The dryer guy comes and also fixed our stove (he had never heard the term carboninizing....but he did find something fixable). No big deal. I then call LIPA under the service plan to ask them to come service the boiler. It was the end of August, they said they'd come the end of October. Ummmm....no. You'll come now. Guy comes from the LIPA service plan and basically laughs and tells us the guy who came about the gas leak pulled apart some wiring whilst doing his "check". It was really odd how everything happened all at once....so they didn't lock our gas but he did disconnect the stove.

This whole story makes no sense, (not because of how you're telling it) it IS bizzare. Where was the 'leak'?

[twingles]

Originally Posted by Buckthedog

This whole story makes no sense, (not because of how you're telling it) it IS bizzare. Where was the 'leak'?

LOL...according to the guy from LIPA, the meter had a leak (meter in the basement), the stove AND the dryer. We were like "are you for real?" And then both the dryer and stove don't work and the boiler needs service? I swear I think they took some dude off the street and gave him a LIPA truck. It was really weird. Luckily the stove and dryer were both cheap fixes. It was one of the weirdest homeowner moments we ever had.

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by twingles

LOL...according to the guy from LIPA, the meter had a leak (meter in the basement), the stove AND the dryer. We were like "are you for real?" And then both the dryer and stove don't work and the boiler needs service? I swear I think they took some dude off the street and gave him a LIPA truck. It was really weird. Luckily the stove and dryer were both cheap fixes. It was one of the weirdest homeowner moments we ever had.

Your dryer was leaking gas?

I guess it's possible I've just never heard of that... but I can't even imagine how or why a dryer would operate off a gas line. WTF?

[nybbler]

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Your dryer was leaking gas?

I guess it's possible I've just never heard of that... but I can't even imagine how or why a dryer would operate off a gas line. WTF?

Electric dryers have a big heating element. Gas dryers have a burner. Gas dryers are more efficient and cheaper to run.

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by nybbler

Electric dryers have a big heating element. Gas dryers have a burner. Gas dryers are more efficient and cheaper to run.

Well I just learned something new... I had no idea such a thing existed.

[twingles]

Yes, it was a gas dryer....like I said - the whole thing was weird, and our repair people were left scratching their heads as well. The guy from LIPA was clueless.

[lubby]

Originally Posted by sean sean sean sean

Well I just learned something new... I had no idea such a thing existed.

My mother has had her gas dry for 28 years

[BuffaloTransplant]

You had the guys job you if "all" of that "went" at one time. I have gas heat furnace, hot water, stove and dryer. [No boiler - we are forced air.] I have had this for over 40 years. I think you simply had a meter leak and they shut that down. They should do better than that.

If the meter from outside has a leak, it will only be at the meter. It will not affect other items. If the stove has a leak, it will only be the stove. Same with a dryer. Not everything will leak "at once". Why they shut it off is because a spark from an ignitor can set off gas which should not be there..... Any METER (from the street) leak, all gas is cut off ( safety) and usually companies replace the meter. Any appliance should have its OWN shutoff ( every single one which is on gas). The shut off is in the line to the appliance -- it is generally a circle crossed with a line: if the line goes in the direction of the pipe, it is on. If it crosses the pipe, it is off. Every connection should be tested occasionally at pipe junctions for leaks (most guys will use soapy water: it will bubble if a leak is present). No flexible connection should be more than 3-5 feet long.

You need to clean the burners in all gas items occasionally and get the house checked annually for the furnace at least. This isn't like what the major cleaning of oil heat is; it is a simple take apart, check to see the wires are all working and connected and that the burner goes on as needed. Same with a stove or a dryer.

In your best interest, I would make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector set up near your furnace and boiler.

Worst thing going wrong w/ gas is the heat exchanger in a furnace cracks -- that means a new furnace. Don't even mess with it; it cracks and carbon monoxide can pour out... get a new furnace. The other big problems are the electric ignition -- they wear our too darn fast for me: they light the gas when you turn on the appliance. our stove goes through a set every 5 years or so.